Gold Coast playmaker hurt in crushing loss to Adelaide
Steve Larkin |
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick has described a 61-point drubbing from a white-hot Adelaide as a “kick in the nuts” for his finals hopefuls.
The Crows kicked the initial 11 goals in their 16.11 (107) to 6.10 (46) victory at Adelaide Oval on Sunday to retain their grip on third spot.
Gold Coast were goalless in an opening half for the first time, and playmaker Daniel Rioli will be sent for scans on a lower left leg injury.
Adelaide led 9.5 to 0.4 at halftime and were up 71-5 before the Suns scored their first goal in the 11th minute of the third term.
“Every good side I have been a part of gets a kick in the nuts at some stage,” Hardwick said.
“Today was our kick in the nuts.”
The Suns slid to eighth on the ladder, just one win ahead of the ninth-placed Western Bulldogs.
But the Crows are a win, plus healthy percentage, clear in third – ahead of the cluster of Geelong, Hawthorn, GWS and Fremantle – and are certain to return to the finals for the first time since 2017.
Crows coach Matthew Nicks, asked if he dared imagine such a strong opening half, replied: “I dream about it a lot.
“But the reality is, it’s not easy to do and a lot of things have to go your way – and they did in the first half. But you get what you deserve.”
Adelaide’s Alex Neal-Bullen kicked three goals from his career-high 31 disposals and Riley Thilthorpe, Taylor Walker and Izak Rankine scored two each.
Captain Jordan Dawson (20 disposals, one goal), James Peatling (21, one goal), Jake Soligo (24, one goal) and Dan Curtin (20, one goal) continued fine seasons.
And defenders Josh Worrell (25 disposals, 11 marks), Max Michalanney (22 disposals) and Mark Keane were at their stingiest.
Gold Coast midfielders Matt Rowell (30 touches), Noah Anderson (27), Brayden Fiorini (28) and Sam Flanders (28, one goal) battled but the Suns couldn’t find a multiple goal-scorer.
The Crows led 3.3 to 0.2 at quarter-time despite losing backman Mitch Hinge to a hip injury.
They then piled on the pain for the Suns, roaring into top gear with five consecutive goals in 12 minutes to create a commanding 53-9 lead.
The last in that spree, from Luke Pedlar, came after Mac Andrew grappled the Crow high in the aftermath of a Ben Keays goal, with the home side scoring twice without the ball returning to the centre.
“It’s always the retaliator that gets stung,” Hardwick said, “but we can’t put ourselves in that situation.”
Skipper Dawson put an exclamation mark on Adelaide’s stunning half, goaling on the run from 55 metres moments after Suns halfback Rioli was helped from the field.
Adelaide held a 55-point halftime advantage, which soon stretched to a 71-5 lead when Neal-Bullen twice snapped accurately.
The Suns finally scored their first major 11 minutes into the third term – only when Ethan Read converted from the goal square after a 50m penalty.
AAP
